💥UPSC 2026, 2027, 2028 UAP Mentorship (March Batch) + Access XFactor Notes & Microthemes PDF
Talk to mentor

Civilsdaily

Login

Search results for: “”

  • Weighing in on India’s investment-led revival

    Context

    The Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, said recently that India’s long-term growth prospects are embedded in public capital expenditure programmes. She added that an increase in public investment would crowd in (or pull in) private investment, thus reviving the economy.

    Significance of public investment-led economic growth

    • Public investment-led economic growth forms a credible strand of explanation for India’s post-Independence economic growth. 
    • Revival after Asian financial crisis: When it was faced with a slow-down after the Asian financial crisis of 1997, the  government initiated public road building projects.
    • In the form of the Golden Quadrilateral and the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, these initiatives sowed the seeds of economic revival, culminating in an investment and export-led boom in the 2000s; GDP grew at 8%-9% annually.
    • In comparison, the investment record during the 2010s has been dismal.
    • However, a recent uptick is evident in the real gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) rate — the fixed investment to GDP ratio (net of inflation).
    • The ratio recovered to 32.5% in 2019-20 from a low of 30.7% in 2015-16.

    Analysing the Investment distribution

    • As in the June edition of the Ministry of Finance’s Monthly Economic Review, the fixed investment to GDP ratio was 32% in 2021-22.
    • However, there is need for caution in reading the most recent data, as they are subject to revision.
    • Moreover, the budgetary definition of investment refers to financial investments (which include purchase of existing financial assets, or loans offered to States) and not just capital formation representing an expansion of the productive potential.
    • The National Accounts Statistics provides disaggregation of gross capital formation (GCF) by sectors, type of assets and modes of financing; over 90% of GCF consists of fixed investments.
    • No change in investment distribution: The investment distribution has hardly changed over the last decade, with the public sector’s share remaining 20%.
    • Fall in share of agriculture and industry: Between 2014-15 and 2019-20, the shares of agriculture and industry in fixed capital formation/GDP fell from 7.7% and 33.7% to 6.4% and 32.5%, respectively.
    • Services’ share rose to 52.3% in 2019-20 compared to 49% in 2014-15.
    • The rise in the services sector is almost entirely on transport and communications.
    • The share of transport has doubled from 6.1% to 12.9% during the same period.
    • Within transportation, it is mostly roads.
    • Decline in the share of investment: Its share in the investment ratio (column 2.1) fell from 19.2% in 2011-12 to 16.5% in 2019-20.
    • This indicates that ‘Make in India’ failed to take off, import dependence went up, and India became deindustrialised.
    • Import dependence on China is alarming for critical materials such as fertilizers, bulk drugs (active pharmaceutical ingredients or APIs) and capital goods.
    • Instead of boosting investment and domestic technological capabilities, the ‘Make in India’ campaign frittered away time and resources to raise India’s rank in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Index.
    • Decline in foreign capital in GFC: The contribution of foreign capital to financing GCF fell to 2.5% in 2019-20 from 3.8% in 2014-15 (or 11.1% in 2011-12).
    • With declining investment share, industrial output growth rate fell from 13.1% in 2015-16 to a negative 2.4% in 2019-20, as per the National Accounts Statistics.

    Way forward

    • Need for balance: As roads and communications are classic public goods, investment in them is welcome.
    • However, for healthy domestic output growth, there is a need for balance between “directly productive investments” (in farms and factories) and infrastructure investments.
    • And this balance was missed.
    • The recent upturn in the aggregate fixed capital formation to GDP ratio is positive, though the rate is still lower than its mark in the early 2010s.

    Conclusion

    The claim that the investment revival is public sector driven is not borne out by facts. The budgetary figures refer to financial investment, not estimates of capital formation, indicating expansion of the economy’s productive capacity.

    UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

    Back2Basics: Gross fixes capital formation

    • Gross fixed capital formation (GFCF), also called “investment”, is defined as the acquisition of produced assets (including purchases of second-hand assets), including the production of such assets by producers for their own use, minus disposals.
    • The relevant assets relate to assets that are intended for use in the production of other goods and services for a period of more than a year.
    • The term “produced assets” means that only those assets that come into existence as a result of a production process are included.
    • It therefore does not include, for example, the purchase of land and natural resources.
    • This indicator is available in different measures: GFCF at current prices and current PPPs in US dollars, and annual growth rates of GFCF at constant prices, as well as quarterly data for percentage change over previous period and percentage change over same period last year.
    • The indicator at current prices and current PPPs is less suited for comparisons over time, as developments are not only caused by real growth, but also by changes in prices and PPPs.

  • Defence and technology cooperation is key to US-India partnership

    Context

    The possibility of India’s continuing rise over this century seems to be on a stronger wicket today than it did a decade ago, marred as the early 2010s were by political instability and economic turmoil.

    Historical background of dominance of world economy by the East

    • Prior to the era of colonial exploitation followed by self-inflicted stagnation due to communist economic policies adopted across the region, the ancient civilisations of India and China dominated the world economy
    • There existed a deep history of scientific innovation and technological prowess, which spread by osmosis and intercourse from the East to the West.
    • The West, led principally by Great Britain, then stole a march over Asia with the advent of the Industrial Revolution.
    • Emergence of the US: A pyrrhic victory for Britain in the Second World War marked the formal transfer of the Western bloc’s leadership to the US.

    Geopolitics in 2020s

    • Emergence of China: China is now home to a manufacturing-led and technology-driven economy, competing head-on with the US in areas like biotech, robotics, artificial intelligence, and advanced materials.
    • India, which faced an economic setback when the liberalisation process largely came to a halt between 2004-2014, is back on its feet, with consistent commitment and concerted policy action focused on building domestic capabilities in critical technologies as well as in key manufacturing industries and pursuing important structural economic reforms.
    • Common threat of China: From seeing non-democratic China as a benign partner, the US now sees it as a threat, the present preoccupations in Europe notwithstanding.
    • India, which for a time welcomed Chinese involvement in its economy, has also recalibrated after the 2020 Galwan face-off.
    • Unlike India and the US, which are both well-established republics with deep democratic cultures, China is “a party with a state attached to it”.
    • Concerns for India:  Being inextricably linked by geography, Beijing’s ambition to dominate its periphery and proximate region is of particular concern to India.

    What this mean for India-US relations?

    • Natural allies: Given this background, India and the US are natural allies to confront the challenges posed by an expansionist and aggressive China in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.
    • New areas of cooperation: There are clear signals of unprecedented cooperation between the two countries in areas like national security, defence production and most prominently, new-age information technology and internet industries where American financial firms and blue-chip corporates are contributing growth capital as well as know-how.
    • Closer cooperation in scientific research and critical emerging technologies is imperative.
    • Reducing India’s dependence for defence equipment: In particular, as some American lawmakers highlighted when providing India with exemption under CAATSA that the American defence industry should contribute to reducing India’s dependence on Russian armaments and equipment.
    • Technology cooperation: Connected to the expansion of defence-industrial ties is the broadening of technology collaboration in areas like artificial intelligence, drones, advanced materials, space technology, semiconductors, and biotech in India, beyond the consumer tech and software sectors.

    Conclusion

    Demographic and economic trends firmly position India as a global force that will have the weight to stride alongside America and China, who would constitute the other two geopolitical — and ideological — poles over the 21st century.

    UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • 53 years of Bank Nationalization

    Last week, on July 19 was the 53rd anniversary of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi nationalizing 14 banks.

    Bank Nationalization: A Backgrounder

    • In 1955 Imperial Bank of India was nationalized as RBI with State Bank of India to act as the principal agent  for extensive banking facilities on a large scale, especially in rural and semi-urban areas.
    • The other banks of the princely states were acquired by SBI much earlier.
    • However, the nationalization of banks in 1969 and later in 1980 was of a completely different scale.
    • In 1969, the move covered 14 (followed by six in 1980) of the largest private sector banks—putting 85% of the deposit base into the hands of the government.
    • This brought 80% of the banking segment in India under Government ownership.

    Why Nationalization of Banks?

    • After independence, the Government of India (GOI) adopted planned economic development for the country.
    • Nationalization was in accordance with the national policy of adopting the socialistic pattern of society.
    • The actual course came at the end of a troubled decade when India had suffered many economic as well as political shocks.

    Other reasons

    • Social welfare
    • Controlling private monopolies
    • Expansion of banking to rural areas
    • Reducing regional imbalance to curb the urban-rural divide
    • Priority Sector Lending
    • Mobilization of savings

    Immediate causes

    • There were two wars with China in 1962 and Pakistan in 1965 that put immense pressure on public finances.
    • Banks were failing largely due to speculative financial activities when Indira Gandhi became the prime minister in 1967.
    • Two successive years of drought had not only led to food shortages but also compromised national security because of the dependence on American food shipments.
    • Subsequently, a three-year plan holiday affected aggregate demand as public investment was reduced.
    • Agriculture needed a capital infusion, with the initiation of the Green Revolution in India which aimed to make the country self-sufficient in food security.
    • The collapse of banks was causing distress among people, who were losing their hard-earned money in the absence of a strong government support and legislative protection to their money.

    Post-nationalization challenges

    • Having ownership and operational control of the banks was a challenging task for the government.
    • The banks were constantly challenged on their profitability parameters—particularly RRBs which had both geographical and portfolio concentration risks.

    Establishing regional balance

    • The objective of social control was about making banking sector accessible in areas where these services were not accessible.
    • The state established 196 Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) between two nationalizations.
    • While nationalization, branch licensing policy and priority sector lending targets helped the banks to go to rural areas and certain sectors, it did not achieve regional balance.
    • Of the 20 banks that were nationalized, seven were concentrated in south India, six in west India, four in north India and three in east India.
    • The expanded rural branch network followed the extant regional concentration, bringing more intensive banking in southern and western regions.

    How was regional balance achieved then?

    • This skew was partially set right by two initiatives. The first was an institutional intervention of opening 196 RRBs which had focused area of operation.
    • The RRBs contributed significantly to reduce the regional imbalance with their expanding branch network in the 1980s.
    • RRBs also had a greater proportion of their loans flowing to priority sector in general and agriculture in particular.
    • The second was the policy on lead bank scheme where one bank was assigned as a lead for each district.
    • The lead bank was responsible for the growth and penetration of banking in districts and had to achieve it in coordination with other banks and the state machinery.
    • A “district credit” plan (euphemism for a banking plan), dovetailed with the government schemes, was to be prepared and monitored by the lead bank.
    1. Regional Rural Banks
    • RRBs are a shade better when it comes to rural lending.
    • While they have deployed 72% of the rural and semi-urban deposits as credit in those areas, the figure for urban understandably is very low, and most of these funds have gone into investments.
    1. Small Finance Banks
    • The new small finance banks (SFBs) give an entirely different picture—a large number of them are MFIs that converted into banks.
    • These institutions are trying to collect deposits from the middle and upper middle class and deploy those resources towards the poor.
    • From a paradigm point of view, possibly SFBs are the most interesting institutions that have turned the tables and are trying to achieve from the private sector the objectives set out in the bank nationalization.

    Public versus Private Banks

    • A look at the broad performance ratios for 2017-18 shows that private sector banks score better on efficiency and profitability parameters.
    • They have better return on assets, return on equity, net interest margin and a higher proportion of low-cost deposits.
    • On the other hand, public sector banks (PSBs) have a better impact on priority sector lending achievement, and paid higher wages.
    • Of the new Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana accounts 77% were opened by state-owned banks, 20% by RRBs, and a mere 3.4% accounts were opened by private banks.
    • From this perspective bank nationalization was indeed a good move at that time.

    What benefits do we reap today?

    • Banking under government ownership gave the public implicit faith and immense confidence about the sustainability of the banks.
    • Banks were no longer confined to only metropolitan or cosmopolitan in India. In fact, the Indian banking system has reached even to the remote corners of the country.
    • The present government has reached out to people through banks.
    • Assistance for constructing toilets under Swachh Bharat programme, DBT, Crop insurance schemes etc was given through banks.
    • The dispensing of Mudra loans to about 20 crore individuals, benefits under PM Kisan scheme for providing cash assistance to close to 15 crore farmers annually are only possible through this banks.
    • Thus banks became the government’s dispenser of goodies due to the decision which was taken 50 years ago.

    What about Financial Inclusion?

    • The All India Debt and Investment Survey reports indicate that the formal sector has been losing ground to the informal sector in the rural indebtedness pie since 2001 onwards.
    • This is worrying and indicates that the inclusion agenda is far from achieved.
    • Some examples in the public sector banking system—particularly SBI—have shown that it is possible to achieve the double bottom line of being in the commercial market while continuing to achieve significant targets in inclusion, sectoral, spatial and geographical.

    Way Forward

    • From the larger perspective of efficiency and better utilization of capital, it may be a good idea to move state-owned banks towards more market-based framework.
    • However, that call should be taken to achieve the residual task of inclusion.
    • Making state-owned banks more autonomous and accountable to the market may be the first significant step that can be taken for now.

    Also read:

    [Burning Issue] Privatization of PSBs

     

    UPSC 2023 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • A new global standard for AI ethics

    Context

    Artificial intelligence (AI) is more present in our lives than ever. From predicting what we want to see as we scroll through social media to helping us understand weather patterns to manage agriculture, AI is ubiquitous.

    Issues with AI  and it why it matters to India

    • Bias and discrimination: The data used to feed into AI often aren’t representative of the diversity of our societies, producing outcomes that can be said to be biased or discriminatory.
    • Errors in facial recognition: There are problems emerging in facial recognition technologies, which are used to access our phones, bank accounts and apartments, and are increasingly employed by law-enforcement authorities, in identifying women and darker-skinned people.
    • For three such programs released by major technology companies, the error rate was 1% for light-skinned men, but 19% for dark-skinned men, and up to 35% for dark-skinned women.
    • Biases in facial recognition technologies have led to wrongful arrests.
    •  Indeed, if the business model of how these technologies are developed does not change to place human interests first, inequalities will grow to a magnitude never before experienced in history; access to the raw material that is data is key.
    • These issues are of particular importance to India, which is one of the world’s largest markets for AI-related technologies, valued at over $7.8 billion in 2021.
    •  The National Strategy on Artificial Intelligence released by NITI Aayog in 2018 highlights the massive potential of AI in solving complex social challenges faced by Indian citizens across areas such as agriculture, health, and education, in addition to the significant economic returns that AI-related technologies are already creating.

    UNESCO agreement

    • To ensure that the full potential of these technologies is reached, the right incentives for ethical AI governance need to be established in national and sub-national policy.
    • India has made great strides in the development of responsible and ethical AI governance, starting with NITI Aayog’s #AIForAll campaign to the many corporate strategies that have been adopted to ensure that AI is developed with common, humanistic values at its core.
    • UNESCO’s recommendations: Last November 193 countries reached a groundbreaking agreement at UNESCO on how AI should be designed and used by governments and tech companies.
    • UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence took two years to put together and involved thousands of online consultations with people from a diverse range of social groups.
    •  It aims to fundamentally shift the balance of power between people, and the businesses and governments developing AI.
    • Countries which are members of UNESCO have agreed to implement this recommendation by enacting actions to regulate the entire AI system life cycle, ranging from research, design and development to deployment and use.
    • This means they must use affirmative action to make sure that women and minority groups are fairly represented on AI design teams.
    • The Recommendation also underscores the importance of the proper management of data, privacy and access to information.
    •  It establishes the need to keep control over data in the hands of users, allowing them to access and delete information as needed.
    • It also calls on member states to ensure that appropriate safeguards schemes are devised for the processing of sensitive data and effective accountability, and redress mechanisms are provided in the event of harm.
    • Socio-cultural impact: The broader socio-cultural impacts of AI-related technologies are also addressed, with the Recommendation taking a strong stance that-
    • 1] AI systems should not be used for social scoring or mass surveillance purposes;
    • 2] That particular attention must be paid to the psychological and cognitive impact that these systems can have on children and young people;
    • 3] Member states should invest in and promote not only digital, media and information literacy skills, but also socio-emotional and AI ethics skills to strengthen critical thinking and competencies in the digital era.
    • In a number of countries, the principles of the Recommendation are already being used in AI regulation and policy.
    • Finland provides an example of good practice of this regard, with its 2017 AI Strategy.

    Conclusion

    The new agreement is broad and ambitious. It is a recognition that AI-related technologies cannot continue to operate without a common rulebook. Over the coming months and years, the Recommendation will serve as a compass to guide governments and companies, to voluntarily develop and deploy AI technologies that conform with the commonly agreed principles it establishes.

    UPSC 2023 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • ICJ’s latest judgment on Rohingya Genocide

    Judges at the United Nations’ highest court have dismissed preliminary objections by Myanmar to a case alleging for genocide against the Rohingya ethnic minority.

    Who are the Rohingyas?

    • Rohingya Muslims comprise one million out of the 53 million people that live in Myanmar, forming the world’s largest stateless population in a single country.
    • Universally reviled by the country’s Buddhist majority, they have been oppressed by the government since the late 1970s when the government launched a campaign to identify ‘illegal immigrants’.
    • Serious abuses were committed, forcing as many as 250,000 Rohingya refugees to flee to Bangladesh.
    • The 1982 Citizenship Law in former Burma made the Rohingyas stateless people.
    • They have often been called the most persecuted minority in the world.
    • The 1.1 million Rohingya Muslims squeezed precariously into the northwest state of Rakhine, in mainly Buddhist Burma, bordering majority Muslim Bangladesh, are stateless and unwanted.

    Why are they persecuted by Myanmar?

    • To qualify for citizenship, Rohingya applicants had to renounce their identity And accept being labelled as ‘Bengalis’ on all official documents.
    • They also had to prove that they could trace the presence of their family in Rakhine back three generations, something which is extremely difficult as many Rohingya lack documents or had lost them in 2012.

    Why did the Rohingya Crisis happen?

    • Since World War II they have been treated increasingly by Burmese authorities as illegal, interloping Bengalis, facing apartheid-like conditions that deny them free movement or state education.
    • The army “clearing operations” sparked the mass exodus of Rohingyas in both October 2016.
    • In August 2017, were launched after insurgents known as the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) attacked several paramilitary check posts.
    • Rohingya activists claim the insurgents are mainly young men who have been pushed to breaking point by relentless oppression.

    Security Implications

    • The Rohingya issue and its spill over impact on Myanmar`s western peripheral region and security implications figured in the discussions is not clear.
    • In all probability, the import of the ferment caused by the Rohingya migration, efforts of radical Islamists to influence some of the Rohingya youth, and the Pakistan ISI’s attempts to capitalise on the situation.
    • Rising anger in the Muslim world about the plight of the Rohingya has compounded fears of home-grown militancy as well as support from international jihadists.
    • Illegal movement of people, combined with human trafficking and cross-border migration, can weaken Myanmar’s relations with its neighbour Bangladesh and its ASEAN partners.

    What is the case against Myanmar?

    • Last year, the Republic of the Gambia moved the ICJ against Myanmar over alleged violations of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
    • The Gambia urged the ICJ to direct Myanmar to stop the genocide, ensure that persons committing genocide are punished, and allow the “safe and dignified return of forcibly displaced Rohingya”.
    • The Gambia and Myanmar are parties to the Genocide Convention that allows a party to move the ICJ for violations.
    • Disputes between the Contracting Parties are settled according to Article 9 of the Genocide Convention.

    International support for Gambia’s case

    • The Netherlands and Canada are backing Gambia, saying in 2020 that the country took a laudable step towards ending impunity for those committing atrocities in Myanmar and upholding this pledge.
    • Canada and the Netherlands consider it their obligation to support these efforts which are of concern to all of humanity.

    What next?

    • The ICJ’s ruling sets the stage for court hearings, airing evidence of atrocities against the Rohingya that human rights groups and a UN probe say amount to breaches of the 1948 Genocide Convention.
    • The International Court of Justice rules on disputes between states.
    • It is not linked to the International Criminal Court, also based in The Hague, which holds individuals accountable for atrocities.
    • Prosecutors at the ICC are investigating crimes committed against the Rohingya who were forced to flee to Bangladesh.
    • The ruling of the ICJ is binding on Myanmar, and cannot be appealed. However, no means are available to the court to enforce it.

    Back2Basics:

    BASIS INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT (ICC) INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE (ICJ)
    Relationship with the United Nations Independent; UN Security Council may refer matters to it Primary judicial branch of the UN.
    Members 105 members 193 members (all members of the United Nations).
    Derives authority from The Rome Statute Charter of the United Nations and the Statute of the International Court of Justice.
    Scope of work Criminal matters – investigating and prosecuting crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes Civil matters- settling legal disputes between the member-states and giving advisory opinions on international legal issues
    Jurisdiction Only the member nations of the ICC, which means around 105 countries. Can try individuals. All the member nations of the UN, which means 193 countries. Cannot try individuals and other private entities.
    Composition 1 prosecutor and 18 judges, who are elected for a 9-year term each by the member-states which make up the Assembly of State Parties with all being from different nations 15 judges who are elected for a 9-year term each and are all from different nations.
    Funding Funded by state parties to the Rome Statute and voluntary contributions from the United Nations, governments, individual corporations, etc. Funded by the UN.

     

    UPSC 2023 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • What is the Controversy over GST levies on Food?

    From July 18, a 5% Goods and Services Tax (GST) has been levied on several food items and grains that are sold in a pre-packed, labelled form even if they are not branded.

    What is the news?

    • So far, these items, which include curd, lassi, buttermilk, puffed rice, wheat, pulses, oats, maize and flour, were exempted from the GST net.
    • The fresh tax levies have attracted an outcry from traders as well as consumers.

    What is GST?

    • GST launched in India on 1 July 2017 is a comprehensive indirect tax for the entire country.
    • It is charged at the time of supply and depends on the destination of consumption.
    • For instance, if a good is manufactured in state A but consumed in state B, then the revenue generated through GST collection is credited to the state of consumption (state B) and not to the state of production (state A).
    • GST, being a consumption-based tax, resulted in loss of revenue for manufacturing-heavy states.

    What are GST Slabs?

    • In India, almost 500+ services and over 1300 products fall under the 4 major GST slabs.
    • There are five broad tax rates of zero, 5%, 12%, 18% and 28%, plus a cess levied over and above the 28% on some ‘sin’ goods.
    • The GST Council periodically revises the items under each slab rate to adjust them according to industry demands and market trends.
    • The updated structure ensures that the essential items fall under lower tax brackets, while luxury products and services entail higher GST rates.
    • The 28% rate is levied on demerit goods such as tobacco products, automobiles, and aerated drinks, along with an additional GST compensation cess.

    How did the rate hikes come about?

    • The 5% tax on unbranded packed food items was approved by the GST Council.
    • Some of the other items to have lost their tax-exempt status include bank cheques, maps and atlases, hotel rooms that cost up to ₹1,000 a night, and hospital room rents of over ₹5,000 a day.
    • The pre-packed items weighing over 25 kg would not attract GST.

    Why such move?

    • This move was part of a broader set of changes in the GST structure to do away with tax exemptions as well as concessional tax rates.
    • The Centre and States had discussed the need to raise revenues from the GST, which at the time of its launch five years ago, was premised on levying a ‘revenue-neutral’ rate of 15.5%.
    • All affected food items, including wheat, pulses, rice, curd and lassi, will be exempt from GST when sold loose.

    What has the government said on the issue?

    • FM has hit out at misconceptions about the GST levies on food items and dismissed suggestions that they were imposed unilaterally by the Centre.
    • The 5% levy, she said, was critical to curb tax leakages and was not taken by ‘one member’ of the GST Council alone as all States had agreed to the move.
    • When GST was rolled out, a GST rate of 5% was made applicable on branded cereals, pulses, flour.
    • This was later amended to tax only such items which were sold under a registered brand or brands on which enforceable right was not foregone by the suppliers.
    • This tax exemption triggered ‘rampant misuse’ by reputed manufacturers and brand owners leading to a gradual drop in revenues.

     

    UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • Monkeypox is ‘Public Health Emergency’

    The World Health Organization’s Director-General has declared monkeypox a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) July 23, 2022.

    What is PHEIC?

    Definition: Under the International Health Regulations (IHR), a public health emergency is defined as “an extraordinary event which is determined, as provided in these Regulations: to constitute a public health risk to other States through the international spread of disease; and to potentially require a coordinated international response”.

    What criteria does the WHO follow to declare PHEIC?

    • PHEIC is declared in the event of some “serious public health events” that may endanger international public health.
    • The responsibility of declaring an event as an emergency lies with the Director-General of the WHO and requires the convening of a committee of members.

    Implications of a PHEIC being declared

    The PHEIC is the highest level of alert the global health body can issue.

    • There are some implications of declaring a PHEIC for the host country.
    • Only polio and SARS-CoV-2 were ongoing PHEIC prior to monkeypox.
    • Declaring a PHEIC may lead to restrictions on travel and trade.

    Back2Basics: Monkeypox

    • The monkeypox virus is an orthopoxvirus, which is a genus of viruses that also includes the variola virus, which causes smallpox, and vaccinia virus, which was used in the smallpox vaccine.
    • It causes symptoms similar to smallpox, although they are less severe.
    • While vaccination eradicated smallpox worldwide in 1980, monkeypox continues to occur in a swathe of countries in Central and West Africa, and has on occasion showed up elsewhere.
    • According to the WHO, two distinct clade are identified: the West African clade and the Congo Basin clade, also known as the Central African clade.

     

    UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • [pib] Anushilan Samiti

    Union Education and Skill Development Minister has urged NCERT and the Education fraternity to include enough information about Anushilan Samiti, especially in the upcoming National Curriculum Framework

    Anushilan Samiti

    • Anushilan Samiti was an Indian fitness club, which was actually used as an underground society for anti-British revolutionaries.
    • It was founded by Satish Chandra Pramatha Mitra, Aurobindo Ghose and Sarala Devi.
    • In the first quarter of the 20th century it supported revolutionary violence as the means for ending British rule in India.
    • The organisation arose from a conglomeration of local youth groups and gyms (akhara) in Bengal in 1902.
    • It had two prominent, somewhat independent, arms in East and West Bengal, Dhaka Anushilan Samiti (centred in Dhaka), and the Jugantar group (centred in Calcutta).
    • It challenged British rule in India by engaging in militant nationalism, including bombings, assassinations, and politically motivated violence.

    Revolutionary activities

    • The Samiti collaborated with other revolutionary organisations in India and abroad.
    • It was led by the nationalists Aurobindo Ghosh and his brother Barindra Ghosh, influenced by philosophies like Italian Nationalism, and the Pan-Asianism of Kakuzo Okakura.
    • The Samiti was involved in a number of noted incidents of revolutionary attacks against British interests and administration in India, including early attempts to assassinate British Raj officials.
    • These were followed by the 1912 attempt on the life of the Viceroy of India, and the Seditious conspiracy during World War I, led by Rash Behari Bose and Jatindranath Mukherjee respectively.

    Defiance from militant nationalism

    • The organisation moved away from its philosophy of violence in the 1920s due to the influence of the Indian National Congress and the Gandhian non-violent movement.
    • A section of the group, notably those associated with Sachindranath Sanyal, remained active in the revolutionary movement, founding the Hindustan Republican Association in north India.
    • A number of Congress leaders from Bengal, especially Subhash Chandra Bose, were accused by the British Government of having links with the organisation during this time.
    • The Samiti’s violent and radical philosophy revived in the 1930s, when it was involved in the Kakori conspiracy, the Chittagong armoury raid, and other actions against the administration in British-occupied India.

    Other personalities associated with Anushilan Samiti

    • Legends like, Deshabandhu Chittaranjan Das, Surendranath Tagore, Jatindranath Banerjee, Bagha Jatin were associated with Anushilan Samiti.
    • Dr Hedgewar who established the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was also an alumnus of the Samity.

     

    UPSC 2023 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • 25th July 2022| Daily Answer Writing Enhancement(AWE)

    Topics for Today’s questions:

    GS-1          Role of women and women’s organization

    GS-2        Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

    GS-3         Indian Economy

    GS-4        Emotional intelligence-concepts, and their utilities and application in administration and governance.

    Question 1)

     

    Q.1 Though various women organisations have played a key role in promoting entrepreneurship among women, there continue to exist obstacles that impede women entrepreneurship. Discuss in the context of India. (10 Marks)

     

    Question 2)

    Q.2 Technically, a subsidy is the unrecovered cost of any service (or good) provided by the government. What are the purposes served by the subsidies and what are the issues with it? Suggest the way forward. (10 Marks)

    Question 3)

    Q.3 What are the issues with the use of monetary policy instruments to deal with the food-prices-driven inflation? Suggest the way forward. (10 Marks)

    Question 4)  

    Q.4 “A well-developed Emotional intelligence is not only an instrumental tool in accomplishing goals, but has a dark side as a weapon for manipulating others by robbing them of their capacity to reason.” Analyse. (10 Marks)

     

    HOW TO ATTEMPT ANSWERS IN DAILY ANSWER WRITING ENHANCEMENT(AWE)?

    1. Daily 4 questions from General studies 1, 2, 3, and 4 will be provided to you.

    2. A Mentor’s Comment will be available for all answers. This can be used as a guidance tool but we encourage you to write original answers.

    3. You can write your answer on an A4 sheet and scan/click pictures of the same.

    4.  Upload the scanned answer in the comment section of the same question.

    5. Along with the scanned answer, please share your Razor payment ID, so that paid members are given priority.

    6. If you upload the answer on the same day like the answer of 11th  February is uploaded on 11th February then your answer will be checked within 72 hours. Also, reviews will be in the order of submission- First come first serve basis

    7. If you are writing answers late, for example, 11th February is uploaded on 13th February , then these answers will be evaluated as per the mentor’s schedule.

    8. We encourage you to write answers on the same day. However, if you are uploading an answer late then tag the mentor like @Staff so that the mentor is notified about your answer.

    *In case your answer is not reviewed, reply to your answer saying *NOT CHECKED*. 

    1. For the philosophy of AWE and payment: 
    CLICK HERE To join Daily AWE

  • Q.4 “A well-developed Emotional intelligence is not only an instrumental tool in accomplishing goals, but has a dark side as a weapon for manipulating others by robbing them of their capacity to reason.” Analyse. (10 Marks)

    Mentor’s Comments-

    • Define Emotional Intelligence (EI).
    • Discuss how it helps in achieving goals.
    • Throw some light on the negative aspects of the EI as a tool of manipulating others by eroding their reasoning capacity.
    • Conclude accordingly.

  • Q.3 What are the issues with the use of monetary policy instruments to deal with the food-prices-driven inflation? Suggest the way forward. (10 Marks)

    Mentor’s comment-
    • https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/the-cost-of-misrepresenting-inflation/article65661880.ece
    • In the intro, mention the issue of rising inflation in the world.
    • In the body, mention the case with India in which inflation is driven by rising food prices. In the next part, mention that the use of monetary policy for curbing the inflation driven by food prices harms the economy and the poor while doing little to bring down the food prices.
    • Conclude by mentioning the need to focus on the supply side constraints to bring down the prices.

  • Q.2 Technically, a subsidy is the unrecovered cost of any service (or good) provided by the government. What are the purposes served by the subsidies and what are the issues with it? Suggest the way forward. (10 Marks)

    Mentor’s comment-
    • https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/pms-revdi-remark-we-need-to-disentangle-good-subsidies-from-bad-8043837/
    • In the intro, mention that there has been debate over the culture of political populism and freebies in India.
    • In the body, mention that certain subsidies are desirable as they serve the purpose of benefiting society with positive externalities and the recipient of subsidies. In the issues mention fiscal stress induced by the undesirable subsidies. In the way forward, mention the need for phasing out the undesirable subsidies.
    • Conclude by mentioning the need for debate on the purpose and ways in which subsidies are provided in the country.

  • Q.1 Though various women organisations have played a key role in promoting entrepreneurship among women, there continue to exist obstacles that impede women entrepreneurship. Discuss in the context of India. (10 Marks)

    Mentor’s Comments-

    • Briefly mention the current status of women entrepreneurship.
    • Mention the role played by women organisations in promoting entrepreneurship among women.
    • Substantiate the factors or reasons that hinder the women entrepreneurship in India.
    • Discuss with examples, the role of women organisations in rural entrepreneurship.
    • Conclude accordingly.

  • Why is Karnataka opposing Centre’s draft Eco-Sensitive Area norms for Western Ghats?

    The Union Environment Ministry’s latest draft notification on Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESA) in the Western Ghats is facing stiff opposition in Karnataka.

    What is the news?

    • The MoEFCC had issued a draft notification that demarcated large parts of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Maharashtra as eco-sensitive areas.
    • Among these states, Karnataka contains the largest geographical share of the notified areas in the Western Ghats, at 20,668 sq km.

    ESA in Western Ghats

    • In 2013, the Kasturirangan committee had submitted a report which recommended that 37% of the Western Ghats, covering an area of 59,940 sq km be classified as ESA.
    • On the basis of this, several drafts were introduced which were subsequently rejected by the surrounding states, including Karnataka.

    What is ESA?

    • Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) or Ecologically Fragile Areas (EFAs) are areas notified by the MoEFCC around Protected Areas, National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries.
    • The purpose of declaring ESZs is to create some kind of “shock absorbers” to the protected areas by regulating and managing the activities around such areas.
    • They also act as a transition zone from areas of high protection to areas involving lesser protection.

    How are they demarcated?

    • The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 does NOT mention the word “Eco-Sensitive Zones”.
    • However, Section 3(2)(v) of the Act, says that Central Government can restrict areas in which any industries, operations or processes or class of industries, operations or processes shall be carried out or shall not, subject to certain safeguards.
    • Besides Rule 5(1) of the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 states that central government can prohibit or restrict the location of industries and carrying on certain operations or processes on the basis of certain considerations.
    • The same criteria have been used by the government to declare No Development Zones (NDZs).

    Defining its boundaries

    • An ESZ could go up to 10 kilometres around a protected area as provided in the Wildlife Conservation Strategy, 2002.
    • Moreover, in the case where sensitive corridors, connectivity and ecologically important patches, crucial for landscape linkage, are beyond 10 km width, these should be included in the ESZs.
    • Further, even in the context of a particular Protected Area, the distribution of an area of ESZ and the extent of regulation may not be uniform all around and it could be of variable width and extent.

    Activities Permitted and Prohibited

    • Permitted: Ongoing agricultural or horticultural practices, rainwater harvesting, organic farming, use of renewable energy sources, and adoption of green technology for all activities.
    • Prohibited: Commercial mining, saw mills, industries causing pollution (air, water, soil, noise etc.), the establishment of major hydroelectric projects (HEP), commercial use of wood, Tourism activities like hot-air balloons over the National Park, discharge of effluents or any solid waste or production of hazardous substances.
    • Under regulation: Felling of trees, the establishment of hotels and resorts, commercial use of natural water, erection of electrical cables, drastic change of agriculture system, e.g. adoption of heavy technology, pesticides etc, widening of roads.

    What does the new draft notification for the Western Ghats say?

    • The draft notification demarcates 46,832 sq km in the five states Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa and Tamil Nadu as ESA in the Western Ghats.
    • Kerala is excluded from the draft notification and it had earlier undertaken the exercise of demarcating ESA in the state by physical verification.
    • Among the five states, 20,668 sq km of the ESA lies in Karnataka, 1,461 sq km in Goa, 17,340 sq km in Maharashtra, 6,914 sq km in Tamil Nadu and 449 sq km in Gujarat.
    • According to the notification, the concerned state governments are responsible for monitoring and enforcing the provisions of the notification.

    What are the curbs that the state governments will have to implement?

    • The draft notification states there shall be a complete ban on mining, quarrying and sand mining in the ESA.
    • All existing mines are to be phased out within five years from the date of issue of the final notification or on the expiry of the existing mining lease.
    • It also bars setting up of new thermal power projects and expansion of existing plants in the sensitive area, and the banning of all new ‘Red’ category industries.
    • The construction of new townships and area development projects will also be prohibited in the areas.
    • ‘Orange’ category industries, with a pollution index score of 41-59, such as jute processing and ‘White’ industries that are considered non-polluting will also be allowed with strict compliance.

    What were the suggestions by the Kasturirangan panel?

    • The panel, formed in 2012, was tasked with the mandate of taking a “holistic view of the issue, and to bring synergy”.
    • It aimed to protecting the environment and biodiversity, while maintaining the needs and aspirations of the local and indigenous people, of sustainable development and environmental integrity of the region.
    • The report had recommended a blanket ban on mining, quarrying, red category industries and thermal power projects.
    • It also stated that the impact study of infrastructural projects on the forest and wildlife should be conducted before permission is given.

    What is Karnataka’s stand on the matter?

    • The Karnataka government has been firm in rejecting the implementation of the guidelines.
    • It has staunchly opposed to the Kasturirangan committee report on Western Ghats.
    • It urged that declaring Western Ghats as ESA would adversely affect the livelihood of people in the region.
    • Environmental experts consider the state government’s decision to be disastrous for the biodiversity of the Western Ghats.

     

    UPSC 2023 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • [Sansad TV] Mudda Aapla: Culture of Freebies

    UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

    Context

    • With the poll season round the corner, political parties are busy planning to lure the electorate with their promises which also include freebies.
    • Over the years the politics of freebies has become an integral part of the electoral battles and the scenario is no different in the forthcoming assembly polls in five states.
    • There are arguments both in favour and against this practice. In this article, we shall learn analyse all aspects of this issue.

    Freebie Politics in India: A backgrounder

    • The term Freebies is not new; rather it is a prevalent culture in Indian politics (in the name of socialism).  
    • The political parties are always trying to outdo each other in luring the Indian voters with assorted freebies.
    • From free water to free smartphones the Indian politicians promise everything to attract prospective voters in favour.
    • This trend has gained more momentum in the recent times with the political parties being innovative in their offerings as the ‘traditional free water and electricity’ is no longer sufficient as election goodies.

    Examples of freebies

    1. Promise of Rs 15 lakh in our bank accounts 😀
    2. Free TV, Laptops
    3. Free electricity
    4. Loan waivers
    5. Offering free public transport ride to all women in Delhi

    Why are such policies popular among the public?

    • Failure of economic policies: The answer lies in the utter failure of our economic policies to create decent livelihood for a vast majority of Indians.
    • Quest for decent livelihood: The already low income had to be reoriented towards spending a disproportionately higher amount on education and health, from which, the state increasingly withdrew.
    • Prevailing unemployment:  Employment surveys have shown that employment growth initially slowed down from the 1990s, and then has turned negative over the past few years.
    • Increased cost of living: Real income growth of the marginal sections has actually slowed down since 1991 reforms.
    • Increased consumerism: The poor today also spend on things which appear to be luxuries; cellphones and data-packs are two such examples which are shown as signs of India’s increased affluence.
    • Necessity: For migrant workers, the mobile phone helps them keep in touch with their families back home, or do a quick video-call to see how their infant is learning to sit up or crawl.

    Can Freebies be compared with Welfare Politics?

    • These freebies are not bad. It is a part of social welfare.
    • Using freebies to lure voters is not good.
    • Voter’s greediness may lead to a problem in choosing a good leader.
    • When we don’t have a good leader then democracy will be a mockery.

    Impact of such policies

    • Never ending trail: The continuity of freebies is another major disadvantage as parties keep on coming up with lucrative offers to lure more number of votes to minimize the risk of losing in the elections.
    • Burden on exchequer: People forget that such benefits are been given at the cost of exchequer and from the tax paid.
    • Ultimate loss of poors: The politicians and middlemen wipe away the benefits and the poor have to suffer as they are deprived from their share of benefits which was to be achieved out of the money.
    • Inflationary practice: Such distribution freebie commodity largely disrupts demand-supply dynamics.
    • Lethargy in population: Freebies actually have the tendency to turn the nation’s population into: Lethargy and devoid of entrepreneurship.
    • Money becomes only remedy: Everyone at the slightest sign of distress starts demanding some kind of freebies from the Govt. 
    • Popular politics: This is psychology driving sections of the population expecting and the government promptly responds with immediate monetary relief or compensation.

    What cannot be accounted to a freebie?

    • MGNREGA scheme (rural employment guarantee scheme)
    • Right to Education (RTE)
    • Food Security through fair price shops ( under National Food Security Act)
    • Prime Minister Kisan Samman Yojana (PM-KISAN)

    Arguments in favour

    • Social investment: Aid to the poor is seen as a wasteful expenditure. But low interest rates for corporates to get cheap loans or the ‘sop’ of cutting corporate taxes are never criticized.
    • Socialistic policy: This attitude comes from decades of operating within the dominant discourse of market capitalism.
    • Election manifesto: Proponents of such policies would argue that poll promises are essential for voters to know what the party would do if it comes to power and have the chance to weigh options.
    • Welfare: Economists opine that as long as any State has the capacity and ability to finance freebies then its fine; if not then freebies are the burden on economy.
    • Other wasteful expenditure: When the Centre gives incentives like free land to big companies and announce multi-year tax holidays, questions are not asked as to where the money will come from.

    A rational analysis of freebies

    • Winning election and good governance are two different things. The role of freebies to avail good governance is definitely questionable.
    • The social, political and economic consequences of freebies are very short-lived in nature. 
    • There are many freebies and subsidies schemes available in many States but we still find starvation deaths, lack of electricity, poor education and health service. 
    • Hence the sorrow of the masses of India cannot be solved by freebies or by incentives.

    So are not freebies meant only to attract voters and swing voters by concentrating on a preferential group or community?

    Way forward

    • It can be agreed that a democracy requires popular support for its rule to continue. The sops and freebies to the poor buy it the requisite votes.
    • But the democratic process of election and election promises should be clear. It should not control voters thought. 
    • What some people term as ‘populism’ actually constitutes what real economics should be.
    • If you deprive people of what they really need, you will have to throw allurements at them.
    • This can only be stopped if political masters try to follow what economist EA Schumacher had conveyed through his seminal work Small is beautiful – “Treat economics as if people matter.”

    Conclusion

    • There is nothing wrong in having a policy-led elaborate social security programme that seeks to help the poor get out of poverty.
    • But such a programme needs well thought out preparation and cannot be conjured up just before an election.

    Perhaps the best observation has come from Y K Alagh, economist and educationist, that the electorate is nobody’s fool. It will take all the freebies already being distributed and then vote according to its carefully thought out assessment of performance. Much depends on whether the electorate can see through all this posturing.

  • UPSC Post and Salary List

    Talk To UPSC Mentor Now

    ‘UPSC is the central body in India that conducts examinations like the Civil Services Exam (CSE) for the recruitment of candidates in top government services like IAS, IPS, IFS, etc. UPSC recruits candidates for both Civil Service as well as Defense Services.‘

    Table of Content

    UPSC Posts List and salary

    The civil services examination (CSE) is a National level competitive examination. The exam is conducted by the UPSC almost every year. 

    CSE is also widely known as the IAS exam. 

    UPSC CSE is for the recruitment of bureaucrats (Civil Servants/HIgher Govt. officials) for 3 services under the Government of India 

    • All India Services
    • Group A Services or Central Services
    • Group B services or State services

    Salary for both Gr. A  and Gr. B officers start from INR 56,100 excluding TA, DA, and HRA The maximum monthly salary of an IAS officer can reach INR 2,50,000. for a Cabinet Secretary. But the salaries depend on seniority and position.

    Every year millions of Indian youths start preparing for the exam. But a handful of candidates can clear the exam because it is the toughest exam in the country and is unpredictable too.

    Talk To UPSC Mentor Now

    UPSC Services list

    All India Services:

    • Indian Administrative Service 
    • Indian Foreign Service 
    • Indian Police Service 

    Group A Services or Central Services

    • Indian Audit and Accounts Service
    • Indian Civil Accounts Service 
    • Indian Corporate Law Service 
    • Indian Defence Accounts Service
    • Indian Defence Estates Service
    • Indian Information Service, Junior Grade
    • Indian Postal Service, Group
    • Indian P&T Accounts and Finance Service
    • Indian Railway Protection Force Service
    • Indian Revenue Service (Customs & Indirect Taxes)
    • Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax)
    • Indian Trade Service 

    Group B services or State services

    • Armed Forces Headquarters
    • Delhi, Andaman, and the Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Civil Service (DANICS)
    • Delhi, Andaman, and the Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Police Service (DANIPS).
    • Pondicherry Civil Service (PONDICS)

    UPSC job list with Salary

    All the posts start in the level 10 pay matrix and the pay band is between Rs. 56,100 and Rs. 2,50,000.

    UPSC Job salary of IAS officer

    IAS postsYears of ServicesGrade PayBasic Salary
    SDM, Undersecretary, Assistant Secretary1 to 4 years5400Rs. 56, 100
    ADM, Deputy Secretary, Under Secretary5 to 8 years6600Rs. 67,700
    DM, joint secretary, deputy secretary9 to 12 years7600Rs. 78, 800
    DM, Special Secretary cum commissioner. Director 13 to 16 years8700Rs. 1, 18, 500
    Divisional Commissioner, Secretary cum Commissioner, Joint Secretary16 to 24 years8700Rs. 1, 44, 200
    Divisional Commissioner, Principal Secretary, additional Secretary24 to 30 years12000Rs. 1, 82, 200
    Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretary30 to 33 yearsNARs. 2, 05, 400
    Cabinet Secretary and Secretary34 to 36 yearsNARs. 2, 25, 000
    Cabinet Secretary of India37+NARs. 2, 50, 00

    Salary of IPS officer per month in India

    IPS Officers RanksBasic Salary
    Deputy Superintendent of PoliceRs. 56,100
    Additional Superintendent of PoliceRs. 67,700
    Senior Superintendent of PoliceRs. 78,800
    Deputy Inspector General of PoliceRs. 1,31,100
    Inspector-General of PoliceRs. 1,44,200
    Director-General of PoliceRs. 2,05,400
    Director of CBI or IB/ DG of PoliceRs. 2,25,000
    Talk To UPSC Mentor Now

    IFS- UPSC jobs list with salary

    Junior Time ScaleUnder SecretaryBasic Rs. 8000
    Senior Time ScaleUnder SecretaryRs. 10700
    Junior Administrative ScaleDeputy SecretaryRs. 12750
    Selection GradeCounselor DirectorRs. 15100
    Senior Administrative ScaleJoint SecretaryRs. 18400
    High Commissioner/AmbassadorForeign SecretaryRs. 26000

    IRS- UPSC jobs list

    IRS Officers PostsPay Scale
    Income Tax Assistant CommissionerRs. 15600 to 39100 plus Grade Pay Rs.5400
    Income Tax Joint CommissionerRs. 15600 to 39100 plus Grade Pay Rs.6600
    Income Tax Deputy CommissionerRs. 15600 to 39100 plus Grade Pay Rs.7600
    Additional Commissioner of Income TaxRs. 37400 to 67000 plus Grade Pay Rs.8700
    Income Tax CommissionerRs. 37400 to 67000 plus Grade Pay Rs. 10000
    Income Tax Chief CommissionerRs. 75000. to 80000
    Principal Commissioner of Income TaxRs. 75000. to 80000
    Principal Chief Commissioner of Income TaxRs. 80 thousand (fixed)
    Talk To UPSC Mentor Now

    UPSC Jobs – Eligibility:

    Nationality: 

    For the Indian Administrative Service, the Indian Foreign Service, and the Indian Police Service, a candidate must be a citizen of India. 

    (2) For other services, a candidate must be either:— 

    (a) a citizen of India or (b) a subject of Nepal 

    (c) a subject of Bhutan 

    (d) a Tibetan refugee who came over to India before 1st January 1962 intending to permanently settle in India 

    (e) a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, and Vietnam intending to permanently settle in India. Provided that a candidate belonging to categories (b), (c), (d) and (e) shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India. A candidate in whose case a certificate of eligibility is necessary may be admitted to the examination but the offer of appointment may be given only after the necessary eligibility certificate has been issued to him/her by the Government of India. 

    Minimum Educational Qualification: 

    CriteriaDetails
    Minimum Educational QualificationA candidate must hold a Graduate degree from any recognized University incorporated by an Act of the central or State Legislature in India, or other institutions established by an Act of Parliament, or deemed as a University under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956, or possess an equivalent qualification.
    Age Limit(1) A candidate must be at least 21 years old and not older than 32 years.
    Age RelaxationThe upper age limit can be relaxed as follows:
    (a) Scheduled Caste/Tribe (SC/ST)Up to 5 years
    (b) Other Backward Classes (OBC)Up to 3 years (for candidates eligible for reservation)
    (c) Defence Services PersonnelUp to 3 years (if disabled in operations during hostilities with any foreign country or in a disturbed area and released as a result)
    (d) Ex-Servicemen/Commissioned Officers (ECOs/SSCOs)Up to 5 years (for Ex-servicemen including ECOs/Short Service Commissioned Officers who have completed at least 5 years of Military Service and released)
    (e) ECOs/SSCOsUp to 5 years (for those who have completed 5 years of Military Service and whose assignment has been extended)
    (f) Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD)Up to 10 years (for candidates with disabilities including: blindness/low vision, deaf/hard of hearing, locomotor disability such as cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims, muscular dystrophy, autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disabilities, mental illness, multiple disabilities including deaf-blindness)

    A candidate must hold a Graduate degree from any of the Universities incorporated by an Act of the central or State Legislature in India or other educational institutions established by an Act of Parliament or declared to be deemed as a University under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956 or possess an equivalent qualification.

    Age: 

    (1) A candidate must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 32 years 

    (2) The upper age limit prescribed above will be relaxable: 

    (a) up to a maximum of five years if a candidate belongs to a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe; 

    (b) up to a maximum of three years in the case of candidates belonging to Other Backward Classes who are eligible to avail of reservation applicable to such candidates; 

    (c) up to a maximum of three years in the case of Defence Services Personnel, disabled in operations during hostilities with any foreign country or in a disturbed area and released as a consequence thereof; 

    (d) up to a maximum of five years in the case of ex-servicemen including Commissioned Officers and Emergency Commissioned Officers (ECOs)/ Short Service Commissioned Officers (SSCOs) who have rendered at least five years of Military Service 

    (e) up to a maximum of five years in the case of ECOs/SSCOs who have completed an initial period of assignment of five years of Military Service 

    (f) up to a maximum of 10 years in the case of candidates belonging to Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) categories viz. (i) blindness and low vision; (ii) deaf and hard of hearing; (iii) locomotor disability including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy; (iv) autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability, and mental illness; (v) multiple disabilities from amongst person under clauses (i) to (iv) including deaf-blindness

    Number of Attempts: 

    Every candidate appearing at the examination, who is otherwise eligible, shall be permitted six (6) attempts at the CSE. However, relaxation in the number of attempts will be available to the SC/ST/OBC and PwBD category candidates who are otherwise eligible. The number of attempts available to such candidates as per relaxation is as under: 

    Fees: 

    Candidates (excepting Female/SC/ST/Persons with Benchmark Disability Candidates who are exempted from payment of fee) are required to pay a fee of Rs. 100/- (Rupees One Hundred only) 

    Talk To UPSC Mentor Now

    How to Clear UPSC CSE!

    Talk To UPSC Mentor Now

    Online Workshop on CSE Prep. Strategy

    Guys, though we have provided above the most comprehensive details for your CSE preparation, we would like to recommend you have a personalized mentor. Because UPSC CSE is a hard nut to crack.

    Guys, successful and unsuccessful people do not vary greatly in their abilities. They vary in their desires to reach their goal.

    Getting confused? connect with us. We will help you to make out.

    Talk To UPSC Mentor Now

    CLICK:- ATTEND AN ONLINE WORKSHOP ON UPSC CSE PREPARATION WITH SENIOR IAS MENTORS (FREE)

  • IPS Officers Salary

    ‘

    ‘Becoming a dauntless IPS officer is the dream of millions of Indian Youths. But fulfilled by a few. Dedication, Motivation, Smart work, Confidence, Consistency and Personalized Mentors’ Guidance are the 5 pillars of success.‘

    click: attend online workshop on ips preparation with toppers’ mentors

    Table of Content

    IPS salary

    The salary of an IPS/IAS officer is calculated by using the formula:

    Total salary of IPS officer = Basic Pay + DA + TA + HRA + Other Allowances.

    • DA – Dearness Allowance
    • TA – Travel Allowances
    • HRA – House Rent Allowances

    Salary of IPS officer per month in India

    IPS Officers RanksBasic Salary
    Deputy Superintendent of PoliceRs. 56,100
    Additional Superintendent of PoliceRs. 67,700
    Senior Superintendent of PoliceRs. 78,800
    Deputy Inspector General of PoliceRs. 1,31,100
    Inspector-General of PoliceRs. 1,44,200
    Director-General of PoliceRs. 2,05,400
    Director of CBI or IB/ DG of PoliceRs. 2,25,000

    IPS salary in India per month (Maximum)

    The salary and allowances of a civil servant (IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS, Etc.) are decided by the Government of India. But they are paid by the respective State Government IPS officers salary, like IAS officers, starts under the pay level 10 of the 7th pay commission and can move up to pay level 18.

    The maximum salary level is the Director General of police of India with a pay scale of 2,50,000 (fixed) and years of service vary.

    IPS salary in India

    As per the latest 7th Pay Commission, the starting and entry-level salary of an IPS officer is ₹56100 which leads to ₹56100 – 132000 per month. 

    After years of service and with each promotion, IPS salary increases every month in India. 

    The highest post of DGP in India translates to around ₹2,50,000 per month. This is after 37+ years of service as an IPS officer. 

    IPS salary per month also includes DA which is 9% which is Rs 2.5 lakh per month + 9% or about Rs 32.7 lakh per annum

    IAS vs IPS Salary

    The amount salary of an IAS or an IPS is mostly the same. 

    Salary for both IAS and IPS officers starts from INR 56,100 excluding TA, DA, and HRA The maximum monthly salary of an IAS officer can reach INR 2,50,000 for a Cabinet Secretary. 

    Similarly, the maximum salary of an IPS salary can reach INR 2,50,00 for a DGP.

     As you can see the salary is the same, but the salaries depend on seniority and position.

    IPS salary, promotion, online workshop on IAS/IPS Prep

    IPS/IAS-SalaryDetails
    During trainingApprox: 33, 000 – 36, 000. Deduction applicable
    IPS SalaryRs. 56,100 to 2.5 Lakh
    IPS salary pay commission7th Pay commission
    IPS Salary + AllowancesDA, TA, HRA, Medical, Etc.
    IAS vs IPS SalaryIPS (56, 100-2.5 Lakh), IAS (Same as IPS)
    IPS vs IFA SalaryIPS (56, 100-2.5 Lakh), IFS (90, 000+)
    Highest PromotionDirector General of Police (CBI, IB, Etc.)

    Guys, though we have provided above the most comprehensive details for your IAS/IPS preparation, we would like to recommend you to have a personalized mentor. Because UPSC-CSE is a hard nut to crack.

    Guys, successful and unsuccessful people do not vary greatly in their abilities. They vary in their desires to reach their goal.

    Getting confused? connect with us. We will help you to make out more.

    CLICK:- ATTEND (FREE) ONLINE WORKSHOP ON IPS PREPARATION WITH SENIOR IPS/IAS MENTOR

  • Sample webinar page

  • Perseverance is rewarded. Make improvement, not excuses – Abhijit Ray, AIR 50, UPSC 2021 | CD mentorship and Samachar Manthan Student | Get his notes and mentorship call

    CLICK- SAMACHAR MANTHAN FREE COPY AND MENTORSHIP CALL

    “We must never forget the lonely non-glamorous long hard work behind success”. It’s not a success story of ‘Proving’. It’s a story of ‘Improving’.

    Abhijit Ray was one of the mentorship and Samachar Manthan students under Sajal sir. After losing the first 3 attempts, he strongly realized that it’s a foolish act to overestimate yourself and think that even a non-serious effort will take you through. There is a thin line between confidence and arrogance. 

    Current affairs are indispensable for every stage of the UPSC exam. Understanding the importance of current affairs is just one part of the UPSC puzzle. To solve the whole puzzle, there is no substitute for Samachar Manthan.

    click- samachar manthan FREE copy and mentorship call

    About Abhijit- His UPSC journey + Hobbies

    NameAbhijit Ray
    UPSC2021
    RankAIR 50
    No. of Attempts4
    Attempt in 2018couldn’t clear Prelims
    2019failed prelims again
    2020couldn’t clear Mains
    2021AIR-50. Get on the Final Merit list.
    Optional SubjectAnthropology (in all the attempts)
    HobbyComposing Poem & recreational cycling

    Before getting to Samachar Manthan under Sajal Sir in 2021. He had been facing failure consistently. He said that he couldn’t figure out the necessary things which are highly required to work on.

    CLICK- SAMACHAR MANTHAN FREE COPY AND MENTORSHIP CALL

    He came to know about Sajal Sir’s Samachar Manthan. As soon as he heard, he connected with Sajal Sir and joined without losing any more seconds.

    👉Samachar Manthan Mentorship Call

    https://www.civilsdaily.com/course/samachar-manthan-yearly-2023-plus/

    In 2020, after joining SM, he received the remedial current affairs studies he had been looking for for 3 years. He attributed his success to the remedial advice of Sajal Sir under Samachar Manthan.

    • CD’s team led by Sajal sir and Sudhanshu sir is there to provide handholding support all through your UPSC journey. Increased interaction with the faculty and teachers from Civilsdaily will help you align your preparation and make it more relevant. You can reach out to Sajal sir and other teachers on Habitat.
    • Program’s focus is on conceptual clarity, simplicity, relevance, and making interlinkages between current affairs and basic/static part of the syllabus.
    • Awesome mentorship-hand holding support.
    • Sajal Sir’s guidance got him 10 times more likely to prepare for current affairs linking with the static part in a very short time. 
    • Next-level evaluation of answers helped him a lot to fetch more scores in all GS papers.
    •  CA Resource consolidation on Prelims and Mains’ Preparation.
    • An ecosystem for co-learning and active learning.

    For ultimate success what matters is an ecosystem for co-learning and active learning together learning, doubt clearing, notes, references, mentors, and a focussed community. You’re going to learn and discuss like never before. 

    He improved his marks drastically in this 2021 Mains. In a candid conversation with Siddhart sir, Abhijit shared his journey, motivations, up and downs, lessons learned, and his secret of what kept him going. Listen to his story.

    Abhijit believes whether it is UPSC prelims or Mains, to clear both stages it is your performance in that matters. Other than this “..you need clarity of vision”, says Abhijit, to keep yourself determined to your goal.

    It is yet another validation of CivilsDaily’s vision and approach to personalized mentorship.

    CLICK- SAMACHAR MANTHAN FREE COPY AND MENTORSHIP CALL

  • Despite pressures, the Indian rupee’s remarkable resilience

    Context

    The Indian rupee has depreciated by around 7% against the U.S. dollar, since the start of the year, in response to various domestic and global factors.

    What are the factors responsible for decline?

    • A widening current account deficit, persistent risk-off sentiment as a result of geopolitical tensions, ‘a strengthening dollar index, and continuous sell-off by foreign portfolio investors have all put pressure on the rupee’.
    • Reversal of monetary policy in the US: The runaway inflation levels since last year, which have seen consumer price index (CPI) inflation in the United States reaching a multi-decade high of 9.1% in June 2022, have prompted the reversal in the monetary policy stance of the US Federal Reserve.
    • With inflation rising unabated, the Fed is widely expected to continue raising interest rates.
    • Higher risk-free return in the US: As a result of higher risk-free returns being available in the U.S., there have been persistent outflows of foreign portfolio capital since October 2021, which, on a cumulative basis, stands at $30 billion this year.

    Comparison with the depreciation in the past

    • Even as the rupee has fallen sharply against the dollar, the depreciation has been relatively lower compared with past crises.
    • During the global financial crisis of 2008, the rupee had weakened by over 20% between December 2007-June 2009 and during the Taper Tantrum of 2013 for seven months from the start of the crisis in May 2013, the rupee had depreciated by over 11%.
    • Reduced external vulnerability: The relative lower depreciation this time is attributed to the lowering of India’s external vulnerability measured in terms of a relatively high import cover and low short-term external debt.
    • During the Taper Tantrum, India’s import cover stood at over seven months as compared to around 12 months in the current period.

    Decline in foreign exchange reserves

    • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has stepped in to arrest a large depreciation in the currency, with interventions in the spot and forward foreign exchange markets.
    • Consequently, India’s foreign exchange reserves have moderated by almost $55 billion from a high of $635 billion seen this year.
    • Elevated global crude oil prices have impinged on India’s oil import bill, in turn widening the trade deficit, thus increasing the demand for U.S. dollars, and affecting forex reserves further.

    Effects of weak rupee

    • Export to become competitive: Among the benefits is the premise that the rupee’s weakening should aid exporters in becoming more competitive.
    • However, the concomitant depreciation of currencies of some of India’s competitors such as South Korea, Malaysia and Bangladesh against the dollar, alongwith a high import intensity of some of its key export segments (petroleum, gems and jewellery and electronics), is likely to have blunted the ameliorative impact on India’s exports.
    • Increase in the price of imported commodities: a weaker rupee is driving up prices of key import commodities such as coal, oil, edible oil, gold, thus impacting the imported component of inflation.
    • Impact on the borrowers: The unhedged component of corporate debt denominated in dollars is also likely to bear the brunt of a weaker rupee.
    • Impact on investment: Most importantly, a continuously sliding exchange rate discourages foreign investors from making fresh investments, which keep losing value in dollar terms.
    • For this reason, it is ideal to provide confidence to investors by arresting a continuous slide in the exchange rate.

    Measure by the RBI to arrest the weakening of rupee

    • Apart from intervening in the forex market to arrest the fall in the rupee’s value, the RBI announced a slew of measures recently to liberalise foreign inflows into the country and make them more attractive.
    • Measures such include:
    • Promoting trade settlements between India and other countries in rupee terms.
    • Offering higher interest rates on fresh Foreign Currency Non-Resident (Bank) and Non-Resident External deposits.
    • A widening of investible universe of government and corporate debt, a relaxation of the interest rate.
    • Amount ceiling for External Commercial Borrowing loans, among others, have contributed to arresting the rupee’s slide against the greenback.

    Way forward

    • Inclusion of companies in glabal indices: The Government could encourage some of the large market cap companies (private and public sectors) to be included in the major global indices such as MSCI and FTSE.
    • This will help increase the weight of Indian equities in these indices, compensating for foreign portfolio outflows to some extent as investors are unlikely to be underweight on India.
    • India’s entry into bond indices: The Government could also expedite India’s entry into bond indices such as J.P. Morgan’s Emerging-Market Bond Index and Barclays Global Bond Index.
    • This will not only lead to forex inflows but also have a benign impact on interest rates.
    • Such measures will keep the forex war chest of the RBI at a comfortable level, providing the central bank the requisite ammunition in case there is further weakness.
    • The maintenance of the U.S.-India interest rate differential along with timely forex market interventions by the central bank to manage volatility will prove to be salutary in preserving the rupee value against the greenback.

    Conclusion

    Even as the rupee is expected to remain under pressure in the near term because of global uncertainty, high commodity prices and rising U.S. interest rates, mitigating measures have to be taken to partly arrest the slide.

    UPSC 2023 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

    Back2Basics: What is taper tantrum?

    • Taper tantrum refers to the 2013 collective reactionary panic that triggered a spike in U.S. Treasury yields, after investors learned that the Federal Reserve was slowly putting the breaks on its quantitative easing (QE) program.
    • The Fed announced that it would be reducing the pace of its purchases of Treasury bonds, to reduce the amount of money it was feeding into the economy.
    • The ensuing rise in bond yields in reaction to the announcement was referred to as a taper tantrum in financial media.

More posts